Television and control device and method

ABSTRACT

A television is manipulated by a control device. The control device transmits position information mapped with a position on the control device in response to an operation. The television includes a screen to display a number of icons associated with a plurality of functions. Positions on the screen are mapped with positions on the control device correspondingly. A control method is applied to the television to cause the television to detect whether the position information is received from the control device; generate a cursor and calculate a position on the screen based on the position information; and display the cursor on the calculated position on the screen to select the icon located on the calculated position.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The disclosure relates to televisions, and particularly to a control device and a method for interacting with a television.

2. Description of Related Art

A television not only plays television signals, but also provides special functions other than playing television signals. For example, the special functions may be a calendar function, a computing function, a game function, and so on. However, a user still operates the television by a typically remote device. The operation steps are often cumbersome and tedious for users.

Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a television system in accordance with an embodiment, the electronic system including a television and control device.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the control device and the television.

FIGS. 3-4 show a flowchart of a control method in accordance with an embodiment.

FIGS. 5-7 show an operation of the television system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

All of the processes described below may be embodied in, and fully automated via, functional code modules executed by one or more general purpose electronic devices or processors. The code modules may be stored in any type of non-transitory computer-readable medium or other storage device. Some or all of the methods may alternatively be embodied in specialized hardware. Depending on the embodiment, the non-transitory computer-readable medium may be a hard disk drive, a compact disc, a digital video disc, a tape drive or other suitable storage medium.

FIG. 1 shows a television system 100. The television system 100 includes a television 10 and a control device 20 for interacting with the television 10. The control device 20 communicates with the television 10 wirelessly via known wireless technologies, such as Bluetooth®, WIFI, and RF for example. The control device 20 senses operations of a user to generate control instructions to manipulate the television 10.

FIG. 2 shows functional blocks of the control device 20. The control device 20 includes a touch unit 21, a detecting unit 22, a position determining unit 23, and a transmitter 24.

The touch unit 21 may be a capacitive touch screen or a capacity touch panel for example. The touch unit 21 detects whether an object is within a predetermined distance from the touch unit 21, and generates a touching signal when the object is within the predetermined distance from the touch unit 21. The object may be a finger of a user, a stylus for example. In this embodiment, the predetermined distance is 5 cm. The touch signal becomes stronger when the object is closer to the touch unit 21, otherwise, the touching signal becomes weaker. Therefore, when the object contacts the touch unit 21, the touch signal is strongest.

The detecting unit 22 detects whether the touch signal is generated. The detecting unit 22 further transmits the touch signal to the position determining unit 23, and detects the intensity of the touch signal to generate intensity information when the touch signal is detected. The detecting unit 22 may include a number of instructions executed by a processor (not shown) of the control device 10 to cause the control device 10 to perform corresponding tasks.

The position determining unit 23 determines a position in which the object is pointed and generates position information based on the touch signal. The position information is coordinate of the touch unit 21. The detecting unit 23 may includes a number of instructions executed by the processor of the control device 10.

The transmitter 24 transmits the position information and the intensity information to the television 10 to manipulate the television 10. The transmitter 24 may be an infra-red (IR), a Bluetooth®, a WIFI, or a RF transmitter.

The television 10 includes a position calculating unit 12, a cursor unit 13, a control unit 14, a screen 15, and a receiver 16. The position calculating unit 12, the cursor unit 13, the control unit 14 may include a number of instructions executed by a processor (not shown) of the television 10 to cause the television 10 to perform corresponding tasks.

The receiver 16 receives the position information and the intensity information. The receiver 16 may be an IR, a Bluetooth, a WIFI, or a RF transmitter. receiver.

The screen 15 is larger than the touch unit 21. Positions on touch unit 21 are mapped with positions on the screen 15 correspondingly. The screen 15 display a number of icons (such as D1-D4 in FIGS. 5-7) associated with a number of functions. The icons are activated to call the associated functions. The screen 15 may be a LCD panel, a LED panel for example.

The position calculating unit 12 detects whether the position information is received. When the position information is received, the position calculating unit 12 further calculates a position on the screen 15 associated with the position information based on the position information and a predetermined position relationship between the screen 15 and the touch unit 21

The cursor unit 13 detects whether the intensity information is received. When the intensity information is received, the cursor unit 13 further calculates a size of a cursor C (see FIGS. 5-7) based on the intensity information and a predetermined relationship between the intensity information and the size of the cursor C, and generates the cursor C in the calculated size.

The control unit 14 controls the cursor C to be displayed on the calculated position on the screen 15. The control unit 14 further determines whether the intensity information matches predetermined information, or determines whether the calculated size of the cursor C matches a predetermined size. When the intensity information matches the predetermined information, or the calculated size of the cursor C matches the predetermined size, the control unit 14 further determines whether the screen 15 displays an icon on the calculated position. When the screen 15 displays an icon on the calculated position, the control unit 14 further activates the icon to call the associated function. In this embodiment, the predetermine intensity information is the intensity information generated when a touch on the touch unit 21.

FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a control method applied to the control device 10 for controlling the control device 10 to generate and transmit information to the television 20 to control the television 20 to carry out corresponding functions.

In step S301, the detecting unit 22 detects whether the touching unit 21 generates a touch signal. When the touching unit 21 generates the touch signal, the process goes step S302, otherwise the step S301 is repeated.

In step S302, the position determining unit 23 determines a position on the touch unit 21 to generate position information based on the touch signal.

In step S303, the detecting unit 22 detects intensity of the touch signal to generate intensity information.

In step S304, the transmitter 24 transmits the position information and the intensity information to the television 10.

FIG. 4 show a flowchart of a control method applied to the television 20 for controlling the television 20 to carry out the corresponding functions based on the information from the control device 10.

In step S401, the screen unit 15 displays a number of icons to be activated.

In step S402, the position calculating unit 12 and the cursor unit 13 determine whether the position information and the intensity information are received. When the position information and the intensity information are received, the process goes to step S403, otherwise, step S402 is repeated.

In step S403, the cursor unit 13 calculates a size of a cursor C to generate the cursor C in the calculated size.

In step S404, the position calculating unit 12 calculates a position on the screen based on the position information and a predetermined position relationship between the screen 15 and the touch unit 21.

In step S405, the control unit 14 controls the screen 15 to display the cursor on the calculated position.

In step S406, the control unit 14 determines whether the intensity information matches predetermined intensity information. When the intensity information matches the predetermined intensity information, the process goes to step S407, otherwise, the process goes to step S402.

In step S407, the control unit 14 determines whether the screen 15 displays an icon on the calculated position. If screen 15 displays the icon, the process goes to step S408, otherwise, the process ends.

In step S408, the icon is activated to call a function associated with the icon.

FIGS. 5-7 show that in operation, four icons D1-D4 are displayed on the screen 15 when the television 10 is started up. When a finger F of the user is pointed to a first position A1 and the distance between the finger F and the touch unit 21 is larger than 0 and shorter than the predetermined distance, the screen 15 display a cursor C in a first size on a second position B1(see FIG. 5). When the user wants to activate the icon D2, first, the finger F is shifted left, the cursor C also shift left until the curse C moves to the icon D2, at this time, the finger points to the third position A2, and the distance between the finger F and the touch unit 21 is still shorter than the predetermined distance (see FIG. 6), the cursor C is still in the first size. Next, the finger F clicks on the third position A2, the size of the cursor C is changed to the predetermined size, and the icon D2 is activated to call the function associated with the icon D2.

As described above, the control method applied to the control device 20 and the television 10 controls the television 10 to activate one icon of the television by touching on the position of the touch unit 21 mapped to the position of the screen 15 where the icon is located. It is very convenient for the user to operate the television 20.

Even though relevant information and the advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the functions of the present embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only; and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A control device for interacting with a television, the television displaying a plurality of icons on a screen, the icons associated with a plurality of functions and to be activated to cause the television to carry out the associated functions, the control device comprising: a touch unit to sense an object pointed to the touch unit and generate a touch signal when the object is within a predetermined distance from the touch unit, wherein positions on the touch unit are mapped to positions on the screen correspondingly; a position determining unit to determine a position on the touch unit pointed to by the object and generate position information based on the touch signal; and a transmitter to transmit the position information to the television to control the television to select the icon located on a position of the screen mapped to the position information.
 2. The control device of claim 1, further comprising a detecting unit to detect intensity of the touch signal and generate intensity information, wherein the transmitter transmits the intensity information to the television, so that the television determines whether the selected icon is activated based on the intensity information.
 3. The control device of claim 2, wherein the intensity information generated when the object touches in the pointed position of the touch unit, controls the television to activate the selected icon.
 4. The control device of claim 2, wherein when the intensity information matches predetermined intensity information, the selected icon is activated.
 5. A television manipulated by a control device, the control device generating position information mapped to a position on the control device, and transmitting the position information to the television, the television comprising: a screen to display a plurality of icons associated with a plurality of functions, positions on the screen mapped to positions on the control device correspondingly; a receiver to receive the position information from the control device; a position calculating unit to calculate a position on the screen based on the position information from the control device; a cursor unit to generate a cursor; and a control unit controlling the cursor to display in the calculated position to select the icon located on the calculated position.
 6. The television of claim 5, wherein the receiver further receives intensity information from the control device, the control unit activated the selected the icon located on the calculated position when the intensity information matches the predetermined intensity information.
 7. The television of claim 6, wherein the cursor unit calculates a size of the cursor based on the intensity information from the control device, and generates the cursor in the calculated size to display on the calculated position on the screen.
 8. A control method for manipulating a television, the television comprising a screen to display a plurality of icons associated with a plurality of functions, wherein positions on the touch device are mapped to positions on the screen correspondingly, the control method comprising: the television detecting whether position information mapped with a position on the control device is received from the control device; the television generating a cursor and calculating a position on the screen based on the position information; and the television displaying the cursor on the calculated position on the screen to select the icon located on the calculated position.
 9. The control method of claim 8, wherein before the television generate a cursor and calculate a position on the screen based on the position information, the control method further comprises: the television detecting whether intensity information from the control device is received; the television calculating a size of the cursor based on the intensity information when the intensity information from the control device is received, the size of the cursor being changed when the intensity information is changed; and the television generating the cursor in the calculated size.
 10. The control method of claim 9, wherein after displaying the cursor, the control method further comprises: the television determining whether the intensity information matches predetermined intensity information; and the television activating the selected icon when the intensity information matches the predetermined intensity information.
 11. The control method of claim 9, wherein after displaying the cursor, the control method further comprises: the television determining whether the calculated size of the cursor matches a predetermined size; and the television activating the selected icon when the size of the cursor matches the predetermined size.
 12. The control method of claim 8, the control method further comprises: the control device determining whether an object pointed to the control device is within a predetermined distance from the control device; the control device determining the position on the touch unit pointed by the object and generating the position information based on the touch signal; and the control device transmitting the position information to the television.
 13. The control method of claim 11, after the control device generating the touch signal, the control method further comprises: the control device detecting an intensity of the touch signal; the control device generating the intensity information based on the intensity; and the control device transmitting the intensity information to the television. 